WTN 2005 M. Chappoutier Cotes Du Rhone at brand new Wine Styles

My neighbors (living literally across the street) have opened a WineStyles franchise four blocks walk away. This was their first day open! I hope they do well, we need wine bars in my lovely blue collar town.

Admittedly, this is not a wine geek bar, but I am quite happy. Especially when they do offer some European wines! He admitted he is a New World person who doesn't know a lot about Old World styles. Maybe I can help guide him

2005 M. Chappoutier Cotes Du Rhone $15.

I don't know a lot about the Rhone, but I did enjoy this relatively cheap wine quite a bit. Tons of black pepper and acid and red fruit on the nose-and the palette. Interesting notes of gamey meat (bacon?) A little bit of grapeyness on the finish, but the other things, including a nice savoryness, didn't allow that to be too annoying. Solid ***+

I also tried a house blend Merlot-based wine that wasn't bad. Made by Clos La Chance, there was more going on in the palette than I expected. Actually a little bit of earthiness along with the Merlot fruit. However, it was a little hot (14.5% abv) and the heat dominated the nose. The finish was rather short. **

They also had a quite pricey local (Solano County) family winery's Zinfandel-Vezer is the name. I didn't care for this style at all. Very primary fruit. Very fruit forward and almost sweet. Not a lot of depth or other things going on-pretty much just the fruit, the zinberry, and the alcohol. I wouldn't buy this, especially not at the gaspingly high price ($55). 1/2*

This Winestyles is stocking a lot of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. so I may be making some purchases and doing some tastings. Five blocks aaway is very nice!

Sounds like a nice place to hang out. How far north in Northern California is it? (And do offer to help select Old World wines. It could be an eye opener for others in your town.)

Solano County is almost exactly half way between San Francisco and Sacramento. It is considered the outermost suburb of the Bay Area (although some people commute the other way to Sacramento). It's traditionally the most "affordable" (hah!) County in the Bay Area and has seen a lot of residential growth.

Fayetteville is a military town, right? Solano County is the home of Travis Air Force Base, one of the biggest air transport bases with 16,000 military and civillian employees.

Brian, Fayetteville is indeed a military town and will be getting an even larger military presence with the upcoming transfer of Reserve Command and Forces Command from Georgia to Fort Bragg. I'm a civilian employee of the Army.

I had friends at Mather and the other Air Base in Sacramento area. (Met them while we were all stationed in Germany.) I stayed with them in Carmichael, CA and did some Volksmarches in Sacramento around the Capitol Building and Governor's Mansion, etc. and also in Lake County, CA.